1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fishing lure gill attachment and more particularly, to an improved “bleeding gill” lure addition which is adhered to and within the “gill slit” of a lure, extending out and away from the gill slit, and is designed and made to portray a realistic, life-like representation of a fleeing or injured and bleeding bait fish.
2. Description of the Related Art
In addition to the use of live bait, the fishing industry has long observed the need for various forms of artificial bait—not least among these is the artificial lure. These lures are available in a multitude of sizes, shapes, and colors. The material used to manufacture lures equally ranges widely from wood, plastic, rubber, or metal. Yet, with all of the countless permutations available, each lure has but one singular objective—enhancing the life-like appearance of inanimate bait, attracting predator fish, and thus increasing the odds of the angler catching a fish.
The basic design of a baitfish lure is an artificial construction that is made to resemble a fish that is prey to certain predator fish. In its most fundamental design, the baitfish lure is a fish-like assemblage that is designed to mimic the actions, movements, and appearance of a prey fish in order to entice a predator fish to strike. To this end, manufacturers offer a wide array of configurations and materials used to build a durable, baitfish lure with life-like emulations of the natural maneuvering of a live baitfish. Yet, arguably the single most important augmentation to the lure is that of increased prey fish recognition through enhanced bait fish appearance. Conceivably the most enticing feature of a prey fish is that of the color crimson in the area of the gill slit of a prey fish.
As is well accepted, predatory fish will key in on the red gill section of a baitfish or minnow. When being chased, most baitfish exhibit a flared appearance to their gill covers. This is primarily due to the fish's urgent need for gaseous exchange from the surrounding water in response to increased energy demands as a result of being chased. Further, a prey fish displays an amplified amount of crimson color upon injury in the form of free-flowing blood. The natural tendency of predators to recognize this increased area of crimson by a fleeing or bleeding quarry is correspondingly intensified making pursuit more likely. To simulate this, lure manufacturers customarily apply red or orange color to the accepted gill area of a lure as an inducement to procure a bite or strike from a predator fish. Yet, this red or orange painted area is mono-dimensional and flat and can only be observed from the side of the lure when the predator is immediately adjacent or perpendicular to the lure.
So, while baitfish lures have historically exhibited any number of colors, reflective materials, insignias, and attachments to give the appearance of a life-like prey fish, lure manufacturers are yet constantly striving to improve the visual recognition of fishing lures in an attempt to further tempt predator fish. The incorporation of elements of faux exsanguination from the fish gill to give the guise of a fleeing or wounded and bleeding prey fish is a common addition. Bait fish lures in this category are routinely sprayed or painted with a red or crimson color to give the look of a “bleeding gill”. Plainly, though, they are mono-dimensional, flat-angle views made with no added motion made available to a predator fish. Moreover, the predator fish would need to approach the mono-dimensional demarcation at essentially an immediately adjacent or perpendicular approach to appreciate the representation of injury through the display of artificially adhered blood.
Conversely, the 3-dimensional “bleeding gill” filament of the present invention exhibits superior recognition by the predator fish from a multitude of angles including front, rear, side, top and ventral views. What's more, the distance at which the predator fish can be made to appreciate the filamentous extrusion, as simulated filaments or leaching blood, is naturally lengthened given to the fact that the additional gill accessory occupies a space that extends beyond the body of the baitfish lure as would the natural flow of blood out and away from the gill of a wounded fish. Lastly, this invention is superior to mono-dimensional endeavors of the past in that the lability of the individual fibers under hydraulic pressure, exerted by moving water, affords a realistic representation of the filament and blood movements that a mono-dimensional adhesive paint could not hope to provide.
So, as can be seen from the above examples, no one representation of a “bleeding gill” matches the novel and inventive configuration of the present invention. Therefore, despite numerous endeavors to design a lure that gives the appearance of a wounded, bleeding prey fish, these attempts have fallen short of the their goal and do not lend themselves to a natural appearing mobile “bleeding” gill filament.
It is this need for a realistic-looking, “bleeding” gill that the present invention seeks to address.